SDI La Farga COPPERWORKS has named Jerry Evans as its president. He joined the company in 2017 as operations manager. He has more than 20 years of industry experience, including roles in copper processing and manufacturing. Prior to joining SDI La Farga COPPERWORKS, he managed operations in metal recycling and plant technology. He replaces Kurt Breischaft, the former president. Based in New Haven, Indiana, SDI La Farga COPPERWORKS is a joint venture of Steel Dynamics and La Farga Group of Spain, producing copper rod, wire, and welding wire for varied industrial sectors. 

Paul Lorigan has been promoted to chief innovation officer at Benvic USA. He joined the company in 2024 as sales and technical director. He has more than 30 years of industry experience, having previously served as manager of technology and laboratory services at M. Holland Company, technical director of T&T Marketing Inc, and other positions at AT Plastics and BP America Chemicals Company. His career started as a product development engineer at Anaconda Wire & Cable Co. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, Benvic USA makes custom thermoplastic compounds to sectors that include wire and cable. 

Priority Wire & Cable has named Jeff Smith as regional sales manager - utility. He has 15 years of industry experience, including 12 years with General Cable in positions that included regional sales manager - utility division, territory sales manager and inside sales - utility division. Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Priority Wire & Cable manufactures a wide range of aluminum, copper, specialty, utility and low-voltage cables.

Hubbell Incorporated announced the promotion of Richard Conner to vice president & general manager of the wiring business unit. He joined the company as vice president, product marketing, in 2024. Prior to that he had worked for eight years for Medtronic and before that 13 years for Honeywell. He holds a B.S. degree in electronic engineering and an MBA from the University of New Haven. Based in Shelton, Connecticut, Hubbell Incorporated provides cable assemblies and connectivity solutions for multiple sectors. 

Aran Harper has been named project manager at Ridgway Machines Limited, tasked with managing customer projects. He previously worked in roles in other fields delivering custom engineering solutions. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Nottingham Trent University. Based in Long Eaton, United Kingdom. Ridgway Machines Limited supplies wire and cable machinery. 

Southwire announced that Denise Voss has joined the company as senior vice president of services and high voltage, a new position that integrates its high voltage business into the Southwire Services team. She most recently was head of commercial operations of the Americas with Danish Wind Power Academy. Prior to that she worked in energy-related positions for RNWBL Training, about two years; Artera Services, for three years and GE Power for 16 years. She holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Based in Carrollton, Georgia, USA, Southwire is one of North America’s largest wire and cable manufacturers.

Marinela Cirstea was named the global president of the Automotive Business Unit at Leggett & Platt. She has a background in finance and has been in the automotive industry for over a decade, including leadership roles at FORVIA (formerly Faurecia) and as group vice president for the Stellantis account. She worked for seven years at Schneider Electric, where she was in charge of financial performance for 10 European plants, plant finance director/CFO and cost-controlling manager. She holds a degree from ESCP Business School in France. Based in Carthage, Missouri, Leggett & Platt is a diversified manufacturer whose product lines include steel wire. 

Kyle Koenig has been named chief commercial officer for Champlain Cable Corporation. He joined the company as a customer service/inside sales representative in 2007 and served over the years as inside sales manager, regional sales manager, director of sales and marketing in 2018, vice president of sales and marketing in 2020 and vice president of sales & marketing and Vermont operations in 2023. He holds a B.S. degree in business, management, marketing and related support service from Northern Vermont University. In July, the company also hired Jon Makhlouf as strategic account sales manager. He most recently was a project manager for Ecoclean North America, and has worked in management and/or engineering positions at Test Products, Inc., Pektron, Shiloh Industries, General Motors, Magnas Electronics and Mueller Industries. Based in Colchester, Vermont, Champlain Cable Corporation manufactures high-performance wire and cable products for sectors such as automotive, defense, marine and telecom. 

Zumbach Electronics Corp. has promoted Mike Hullstrung to regional sales manager. He joined the company as a field service engineer in 2022. He previously worked for W.L. Gore & Associates. He holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware. Based in Mount Kisco, New York, Zumbach Electronics Corp. supplies testing and measuring equipment. 

Obituary
William Huntington Carris, the former president of Carris Reels—better known as just “Bill”—died Oct. 22 at age 81, leaving a lasting legacy as a visionary business leader, advocate and philanthropist.
In 1980, Bill Carris succeeded his father Henry as president and CEO of Carris Reels, guiding the Vermont company from a modest family business to a major international supplier of reels and wire products. In 1995, he implemented an employee ownership model (ESOP), which remains central to the company’s success and culture today. He and his wife Barbara launched charitable programs that continue to benefit communities nationwide, with over $6 million donated under their guidance.
After retiring as CEO, Bill Carris remained on the board for two decades, serving the company for more than 50 years. A former junior Olympic long ski jumper, he was a three-term Vermont state senator, known for supporting small businesses, the arts and recovery programs, for crossing party lines with his warmth and humor and his boundless energy.
Per his posted obit, “Throughout his adventurous life (Bill) took on many roles: son, sibling, husband, father, business leader, politician, philanthropist, and all around badass.” He is survived by Barbara, his four children—Emily, Jesse, Jenne and Tracy—eight grandchildren, and an extended network of family and friends.

In 2025, the Midwest, New England, Southeast and Ohio Valley Chapters awarded 13 scholarships that had a combined total of $26,100.

WAI chapter members in good standing will be able to submit applications for 2026. The chapter scholarship programs are educational opportunities for academically qualified high school seniors who are children, grandchildren or dependents of WAI members in good standing. The sponsor must be a chapter member.

The deadline for applications is March 31. Further details about award amounts and how to apply will be in the January issue. Questions can be e-mailed to WAI Program Manager Vanessa Lewis at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The WAI New England Chapter will return to the Cabaret Theatre at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, for its annual meeting.

Registration is open for the regional networking event, which also serves as a fundraiser for the WAI New England Chapter Scholarship Fund. Highlights of the event will include the dinner, the introduction of the officers for 2026, a raffle, photo booth and a look back at 2025, which likely will go down as a good one.

The New England Chapter returned to the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut, for its 31st annual golf outing on what proved to be an utterly gorgeous day for the 143 golfers. The event was won by the Lloyd & Bouvier team of Michael Tucker, Darren Tucker, Joe Yabba and Gibson Yabba that shot a very respectable score of 15 under par.

A healthy donation from the golf event went to the chapter’s scholarship program. The chapter also announced the six 2025 winners of its scholarship program. Those included: Jack Bienvenue, stepson of Walter Parsell, facility engineering manager, Prysmian; John Hartline, son of Christopher Hartline, vice president of operations, RichardsApex; Luke McComiskey, son of Thomas McComiskey, vice president, The MGS Group; Erin Mulligan, daughter of Alan Mulligan, sales representative, Vandor Corporation; Michael Russo, son of James Russo, electrical engineer, MGS Manufacturing; and Ryan Delage, the recipient of the Intern Scholarship, sponsored by Gary Collette and Michael Renner of Sjogren Industries Inc. Each scholarship was for $2,500.

The meeting will also feature a very smart guest speaker. Dr. John Sviokla is a globally recognized authority on AI and digital transformation. An Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School, where he earned his doctorate and MBA, he generated some of the earliest thought-leadership on the coming world of AI and digital competition. He has since guided senior executives through the full lifecycle of technology-led change. At the meeting, he will explain why every organization must move from human centric to a hybrid of human and AI intelligence and how to do it.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event at Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. These can be purchased during event registration. Registration costs $160 for non-members and $135 for WAI New England Chapter members in good standing.

To register, visit www.wirenet.org. For questions or assistance with registration for the event, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

With six months to go, the Wire Association International is focused on making sure that key elements of the biennial event will match high expectations.

The May 6-7 Wire Expo schedule in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is designed for maximum cross-attendance with co-located Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE) at the Baird Center. The two events were previously co-located in 2010 at the venue now known as the Baird Center. The reunion comes at a time of industry growth and technological advancement, positioning the combined event as a catalyst for discovery and collaboration.

The EWPTE trade show attracts nearly 200 exhibitors and over 3,000 attendees from more than 40 states and 25 countries for the electrical wire harness, wire, and cable processing industries. The WHMA exclusively represents the cable and wire harness manufacturing industry

Conference sessions for Wire Expo have been updated to a 20-minute format to accommodate a dynamic lineup of relevant topics, along with a soon-to-be-announced keynote speaker. The Education program development is well underway. The first wave of confirmed speakers, new product showcases, and preliminary agenda details will be announced soon. Further details, such as registration, housing blocks and attendee matchmaking opportunities, will be posted online at www.wirenet.org and in future WJI issues.

Show hours for Wire Expo will be 9 am to 5 pm on Day 1 and 9 am to 3 pm on Day 2. The WAI’s iconic Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course will be presented on May 5.

Attendees will be pleased to see that both the conference and exhibits will take place directly on the show floor in Halls C and D. That will make for a seamless environment for learning, product discovery and networking. The Opening Reception will be held from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in the 4th Floor Ballroom.

More than 100 companies have already confirmed to exhibit, supported by a competitive package priced at $3,450 that offers an efficient, business-ready setup. The package includes: pipe-and-drape back wall (8 ft) and side wall (3 ft); skirted 6 ft table with two chairs; a trash receptacle; a company ID sign; 120 V electric hookup; 200 lb freight service in and out of facility; and carpet. Event-related advertising is available in WJI and the Show Program. Sponsorships are also in development.

For more details on these opportunities, contact Director of Sales Shannon Timme at tel: 203-453-2777, ext. 126, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Director of International Sales and Business Development Anna Bzowski at tel: 203-453-2777, ext.119, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Wire Association International’s Education Center has reached another important milestone with the release of the full packaged extrusion course, now available as a complete learning path for operators.

WAI Manager of Education John Markowski said that the new offering bundles all four parts of the extrusion curriculum (single layer extrusion overview, extrusion materials, extrusion applications, and special process considerations) into one comprehensive program designed to support skill-building of foundational knowledge. Each course will be available for separate purchase, enabling participants to also just focus on a specific area that matters most to their role.

To highlight the launch of the bundle, the Association recently hosted an “Extrusion Exploration” webinar, led by subject matter expert Richard Chamberlain, who guided the curriculum development. Attendance and engagement reflected growing interest in structured, accessible training for extrusion professionals.

“We’re beginning to see momentum build as more individuals and companies explore the platform,” said Markowski. “As we move into 2026, we’re looking forward to increased participation from learners and a steady rollout of new courses that will continue expanding the Education Center’s value to the industry.”

WAI encourages participation from members of the wire and cable community. Individuals and companies are invited to get involved as well, by presenting at conferences, submitting technical papers, leading webinars, contributing as subject matter experts, or serving on committees such as the Education Committee or the Paper Awards Committee. These opportunities offer valuable ways for professionals to stay current on industry trends while strengthening industry connections.